Some highlights of my life over the years

I am not an accomplished writer, but I will do my best to weave the story of my multiple ventures that has carried me through the years of adventure and pleasurable moments.

I never considered myself as a genius, only as a slightly above-average person based on my desire to achieve as much as possible in my life’s endeavors. Obviously, I experienced failures, but pressed on to accomplish other goals that overshadowed my failures and rendered them less relevant. From my viewpoint I can say that throughout my life I have never attained notoriety for some remarkable event. Maybe someday?

I emerged into this world of ours on August 3, 1940 in Manchester, New Hampshire as a pure and perfect being, the only time in my life that this would be true. When I was 5-yrs. of age, my dad divorced my mother, after which we moved to Superior, Wisconsin. During my youth I served as an acolyte and crucifer, or cross-bearer, in the Episcopal Church, was a member of the YMCA and Boy Scouts. To this day I still remember the motto of the Boy Scouts as being “Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent” which shaped my life throughout the years. It would be unrealistic of me, of course, to say that I was faithful to some of these behaviors 100% of the time. However, I have no remorse, for I am happy that the majority of my life has been in treating others with respect and not being prejudice with regards to a person’s religion, sexuality, ethnicity, values, and so on.

 When I was age 14, my dad tragically died in a railroad accident. At that time, I was given a choice to live with my stepmother or return to New Hampshire and live with my aunt, uncle and grandmother. Since I did not bond well with my stepmother, I chose the latter.

After graduating from Manchester Central High School in 1959 , I decided, at the urging of my uncle, a retired major from the US Army, to join the US Army for a 3-yr. stint. For 2 yr. I was based in Neckarsulm, Germany, a city in northern Baden-Wurttemberg near Stuttgart in the southern part of Germany. In general, it is this region of Germany that abounds with extensive conifer forests that enrich its surroundings. As a photographer, unlike the majority of my associated service members who enjoyed going to the nearest Ratskeller, or pub, I wandered the countryside in search of memorable photos. Many Germans love nature. Often, I would encounter entire families, old and young alike, meandering through the forests and listening to the sounds of the wild and the murmur of a breeze wafting through the pines. How poetic, but just!

Travelling through Germany I was amazed at the large number of castles that occupied the lush landscape. One such castle I visited was the King Ludwig Palace, the largest in Germany, located in Ludwigsburg. The Palace has 452 rooms, including eighteen extensions, and was established in 1704 by Duke Eberhard Ludwig. Surrounding the Palace are beautiful gardens, lavishly comprised of colorful flowers and magnificent water fountains. A small chapel inside called the “Ducal Chapel” had on display the throne belonging to Duke Ludwig during the time of his reign in the 18^th Century. As much as I loved taking photos, restrictions were In effect that prohibited the usage of flash equipment and tripods. Hence, I was unable to take pictures within the Chapel due to insufficient light.

In Munich, located in the southern region of Bavaria, I spent a fair amount of time meandering throughout the heart of the city, viewing many of its historical and cultural sites and museums. In October of each year the Oktoberfest beer celebration is held that is attended by millions of people from around the world.

Flowing through one end of Munich is the Isar River that makes it convenient for the local residents to bathe along the banks whenever the weather was pleasant.

A glimpse of the city hall revealed an intricate clock system incorporating a number of life-size figures that revolved within the tower each hour, illustrating a blacksmith, carpenter, and others accomplishing their chores. Next was the Schauspeilhaus where great operas were performed periodically throughout the summer months of the year. A few steps beyond the opera house was a huge statue erected in memory of the dead from World War II. I was impressed by the Deutsches Museum, considered to be the world’s largest museum of science and technology. Nearly everything displayed was of natural size, including coal mines, which you walked through, and airplanes and ships that you could enter, along with a multitude of other objects. For me it was reminiscent of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. Another interesting site was the Munich Botanical Garden with over 19000 species and subspecies of plants on display, representing native plants from different countries that ranged from tropical to temperate zones.

   A few months after my visit to Munich, I obtained a 10-day leave and headed for Garmish-Partenkirchen, located on the border of Austria.

 (To be continued at a later time)